Legends of Belariath
Vesta
Dawn breaks over the temporary village of a nomad herd of centaurs’ movement stirring among the circular tents the people arising making ready for the day. Chores are seen to food made and consumed and before long the tents are being broken down the village quickly being packed away in preparation oh the move from the plains winter approaching and they seeking the shelter of the forest from the coming snows. One among them a young centaur female works just as hard if not harder the most feeling she must prove herself to her family and most of all her brothers…all are in training after their father to be rangers but she…not only female buy selected against her wishes to be trained in the druidic arts. She studies hard though unwilling to bring shame to her parents by refusing, still though she finds time to train with weapons also if only to show her brothers that she can hold her own against them no matter what she does.
The camp moves out everything they own and need carried on their own backs none in the group willing to use pack animals unwilling to rely on such beasts when their own backs were more then good enough. Weeks of travel bring them to their winter camp finally and the tents are set back up time spent in the building and reinforcing to make sure they stand through the winter.
Vesta watched as some of her brothers went off for weapons practice, she never got enough time anymore to train that making her sigh and turn back to her teacher. A druid…that is what she is fated to be it seems, her parents having decided such many years ago when she had been born. This does not sit well with her she yearning more to be with her bothers training then here learning. The learning does come easy to her, which only proved to her parents that this was what she was meant to do as they had thought. She will not shame them by refusing this training only hoping that Tala, her teacher, that her words that her training will only last a few more years instead of some five or more are the truth and not just meant to pacified her.
Time passed, as it is wont to the young centaur learning and growing into more and more of a woman. Her teacher had not been lying to her when she said that her training because she was able to remember things so easily and so completely would be only a few more years in the completing. Vesta grew more at ease in her role as she came to better understand it starting to even enjoy her learning especially the spell work that she studied. She began to spend more time away from the herd out on the woods her new found ability to speak to animals drawing her out to them, she told none of this knowing that it meant her training was over and suddenly fearing that not knowing what she would do with herself if she was no longer learning, no longer a student. She had heard that some left their herds moving to new ones that were in need of a druid with them. She wasn’t sure she wanted to do that to have to go out and live with strangers. She would ask the animals what they thought she should do but none were able to help her most simply stating that this was her life’s path to decide that none of them could choose for her or aid her in the choosing for it must come only from her to be right. She sighed and nodded to such after the fifth time hearing it.
Her teacher was starting to grow worried she had been sure, more then sure that Vestas training would be complete by now but it was now months later then she had thought it would be and still she had not gained the ability to speak with the animals. She spent time talking with the girls parents wondering if she was still unhappy as she had been when her training started finding out that Vesta had been growing increasingly tense and nervous seeming around her family something which she had done well at hiding from her teacher but which her parents could more easily pick up on. She walked back to her tent shaking her head as she tried to understand this meaning to speak with Vesta the next time that she saw her.
And there she was, Vesta, standing outside of her tent waiting silently for her, her hands clasped behind her back. Tala nodded to her motioning for her to go inside meaning to get to the bottom of this and quickly. Vesta only shook her head. “I thank you my teacher but my teaching has ended.” Tala smiled at that tail whisking side to side in her joy to hear her student say those words knowing they mean what she has been hoping for has finally happened, her joy paled some as she took in the serious face before her. ”What is wrong Vesta you should be happy this day?” Vesta smiled at that and nodding slightly. “I am happy it is only what I must do that saddens me…I am leaving the herd.” Her words were simply stated not wanting the uproar that she knew would come from them especially when she told them she meant to leave today. Uproar was more then she got her family quickly finding out coming to join Tala in trying to change her mind she only shaking her head trying again and again to explain why she must leave but never getting more then a few words out before they rushed over her pleas slowly turning into demands that she explain herself that she not go.
She can handle no more of this starting to back away from them needing some space needing to get away, she rears up with a cry and whirls hooves digging into the ground as soon as she comes down again driving her forward as she thunders from the camp. She leaves behind a stunned family only one her youngest brother who had hung back in all of this acts he slipping away from the group circling around knowing where his sister had went he quickly follows her knowing she needs someone to talk to. Finding her before that pool he approaches quietly legs folding to lay down next to her, she looks at him in surprise. “How?” She asks having always thought none new of this place but her. “I followed you here some time ago practicing my tracking. I.I`ve know you could speak to the animals for some time now. I didn’t tell anyone though I mean if you wanted to keep it to yourself that was your business.” Vesta just gapes at him not having expected this not from her youngest brother who has always taking great joy in teasing and tormenting her. He grins at her not telling was worth seeing the expression on her face, he laughed and lightly punched her arm. “So are you going to tell me why you are leaving?” She sighs and nods looking away from him hoping he will not try to get her to come back with him. “In Talas books, there was one that spoke of mages, mages that have greater control over the elements then I have been able to learn with my studies…I…I want to be one of those mages…an earth mage. I can protect with such knowledge I can protect my people and the land at the same time like that.” He nods some understanding that knowing she has had this want for a time but never felt she could do it being a druid. “You are going to see training then.” She nods and he smiles.” Good but you better come back I’m not going to loose my only sister to the world you hear?” She laughs now nodding again.” Yes oh wise and big brother.” He snorts and clambers back to his hooves moving over to the harness he had seen it covered in her supplies, he picks it up coming back to her to drape it over her back then to help her to her hooves also before buckling it in place for her. “You knew this was going to happen? I mean everyone’s reaction?” She nods. “Yes that’s why I brought this here I’m going to go even if I had to sneak out at night.” He grins and nods. “I will tell them what is going on. Where will you go?” She shakes her head and sighs. “I don’t know I don’t know where such a thing is taught but I will find it and I will send word back when I do don’t worry.” She leans over placing a kiss to her brothers’ cheek before turning and trotting off not saying goodbye knowing she will see him again.